


Three Words Revisited - The Nasty Slash Argument

by starshine24mc



Category: The X-Files
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-07-05
Updated: 2001-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-20 20:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11342409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starshine24mc/pseuds/starshine24mc
Summary: I have my own theory as to what may have been going on while Mulder was gone-this piece may confirm that.





	Three Words Revisited - The Nasty Slash Argument

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

 

Three Words Revisited - The Nasty Slash Argument by Goddess Michele

Three Words Revisited - The Nasty Slash Argument  
Author: Goddess Michele  
Date: May 31, 2001  
Fandom: X-Files  
Pairing: M/Sk, Sk/D  
Category: snippet  
Rating: PG13 implied m/m  
Status: done  
Spoilers: Three words  
Archive: put it wherever you like, just leave my name on it  
Feedback: Yes, PLEASE!   
Series/Sequel: part of the Revisitations series  
Beta: none  
Disclaimer: C.C., Fox and 1013 own them, I'm just borrowing them for fun, not profit, and I promise to return them only slightly bruised, but in that good 'thank you sir and may I have another?' way.  
Summary: I have my own theory as to what may have been going on while Mulder was gone-this piece may confirm that.

* * *

"You've got to understand what he's been through. I mean, now he's back and you're... "

John Doggett got up from his chair and marched angrily towards the door while Skinner was still speaking. Just as he was about to pass through the doorway, he abruptly stopped. Skinner watched him warily, watched his slim shoulders tense up, watched his large hands ball into tight fists, watched him turn.

"Jesus, Walter, what the hell is this? Mulder's not back five minutes, and he's got you jumping through hoops already!" He wasn't shouting, but it was close.

"You don't want to do this here, John," Skinner's voice was low, hissing through clenched teeth, a dangerous sound. If Doggett noticed, he wasn't heeding the warning.

"Do what? Call you on your crap, Walt? Ask if you can be objective on this case when it affects not just you and me, but the alien abductee of your dreams?" His sarcasm was sharp and icy, and Skinner reacted, not in pain, but in anger.

"You're out of line, Agent Doggett!" he yelled.

"No, sir, I think it's you who's outta line here. In more ways than one." Doggett glanced pointedly at Skinner's crotch.

Skinner took a threatening step forward, Doggett stood his ground, and suddenly Walter sighed and backed off, seeming to deflate before the other man's pale no-nonsense gaze.

"I love him, John," Skinner whispered, soft words that hit Doggett harder than any fist could have. His shoulders slumped, and he sounded even more defeated than Skinner had a moment ago when he said:

"Great.so what the hell was I, Walter, just a convenient substitute?"

Walter frowned, blinked rapidly several times, then set his jaw, and his expression became even grimmer.

"You know you were."

Doggett's hands, which had relaxed as he spoke, now clenched tightly into fists again, and he took a deep shaky breath, wishing he had just kept walking.

"Well; all right, then; I guess that's that."

"Dammit, John!" Skinner raised his voice again, making Doggett flinch slightly. "Don't play doe-eyed virgin with me. You wanted it as much as I did, and you knew exactly what you were getting into."

"Maybe I did, Walt, and maybe I didn't."

Skinner paused at the rough hurt he could hear in Doggett's words, and he realized that maybe he had gone too far.

When the silence went from uncomfortable to awkward, Doggett looked up from the serious consideration he had been giving his shoes, and glanced at Skinner quizzically.

"Truce?" Skinner asked quietly.

"I don't think so." He turned abruptly, determined to leave this time, and not look back.

"John-" Skinner didn't know what he was going to say, he only knew he didn't want it to end like this.

"Forget it, Skinner." He kept his back to the other man, but his voice carried and his words were clear. "I can hear it already. You're getting ready to give me the old "you just want to be friends" speech, in one form or another. And if you do that, if you demean me-us-that way, Alex Krycek will be the least of your worries." The first step was the hardest, but once he got moving, Doggett was out the door, not looking back.

Walter just stood in the center of his office for long minutes, feeling lost, and old, and uncertain.

  
Archived: June 03, 2001 


End file.
